Trudeau, Macron Say Trump Tariffs Are Illegal And Bad For Everyone

According to the Washington Post, the White House is not happy the Trudeau government is placing counter duties on United States imports, and is now considering imposing new financial penalties against Canada in the ongoing tariff dispute.

Despite the lobbying and pleas, Trump has pressed ahead with tariffs as well as pulling out of the Paris climate accord. She and Macron recently made separate trips to Washington in failed bids to persuade the US president not to abandon the Iran nuclear agreement.

"We will also obviously have some very robust discussions on trade", Trudeau said.

They also renewed their commitment to the fight against climate change and to promote democratic values, free and open trade, and gender equality.

Mr Trump's meeting with Mr Trudeau could be particularly frosty, given the president's recent sharp criticism of Canadian trade policies and the anger in Ottawa over Washington's decision to justify its new tariffs on national security grounds.

"Prime Minister Trudeau is being so indignant, bringing up the relationship that the USA and Canada had over the many years and all sorts of other things...but he doesn't bring up the fact that they charge us up to 300% on dairy - hurting our Farmers, killing our Agriculture!" tweeted the President.

The G7 Summit is set to start in Canada on Friday. Germany's Merkel even predicted as much during a question-and-answer session in the German parliament Wednesday.

Canada countered by announcing it would slap an estimated $16.6 billion in duties on some steel and aluminum products and other goods from the US, including maple syrup, beer kegs, whisky and toilet paper.

Trump will come face-to-face at the gathering in Charlevoix, Quebec, with world leaders whose views do not chime with his on a range of issues from trade to the environment as well as Iran and the construction of a new USA embassy in Jerusalem. European allies have urged Trump to reconsider.

Macron said he would do everything in his power to help Trudeau's presidency of the G7 to succeed and produce a joint statement on Saturday that can be signed by all seven members. France would also oppose any wording that described the Iran pact as obsolete, the official added. It is been reported that, in a phone call between the two leaders, Mr Trump wrongly accused Canada of "burning down the White House in 1812" as partial justification.